Leveraging Generative AI for Enhanced HR Processes
Just a couple of decades ago, the term “Generative AI” may have sounded like a Star Wars concept or character. Today though, you’d be hard-pressed to find any large (or small) organization that doesn’t have its finger on the pulse of artificial intelligence innovation.
As Matt White wrote in his 2023 Medium article, “A Brief History of Generative AI”:
“ Generative AI will be the most disruptive technological innovation since the advent of the personal computer and the inception of the internet, with the potential to create tens of millions of new jobs, permanently alter the way we work, fuel the creator economy, and displace or augment hundreds of millions of workers in roles from computer programmers to computer graphics artists, photographers, video editors, digital marketers, and yes, even journalists. Even with all the hype around generative AI this year, its true power has not yet been seen or felt.”
And there has been plenty of hype. Yet, believe it or not, generative AI is not a brand-new concept.
It’s been researched and even primitively implemented since the 1960s, when Joseph Weizenbaum developed the first chatbot named ELIZA. A natural language processing (NLP) program, it was designed to simulate conversations with a human user by generating responses based on the text it received.
This technology and research only increased over the next few decades. In 2012, for instance, Geoffrey Hinton and his team used convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in the field of speech recognition. And then in 2022, a variety of diffusion-based image services were released – including OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
A recent Salesforce survey showed that 45% of the U.S. population is now using generative AI. It also found that:
- 65% of these users are Millennials or Gen Z.
- 75% are looking to automate tasks at work, particularly for communications.
- 68% say it will help them better serve their customers.
The full group of people exploring this technology include college students, independent contractors, and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. And as generative AI stands now, it appears there’s no going back.
This might sound intimidating, but think about it this way… With 65% of employees experiencing burnout in 2023, this may just be the innovative solution we’ve been looking for.
One of the many organizational operations that’s seeing a major shift via generative AI-based question-answering capability is HR service delivery. And as deployments bring productivity and fresh insights to the staff function, this engagement will likely rise.
The Role of Generative AI in 3 Key HR Processes
Executive teams already expect HR to be an insightful partner across their organizations, and GenAI brings this future to life. Moreover, this technological partnership can act as a model for other departments on using this vital, still-evolving technology in innovative ways.
Knowing that, let’s look at the role of generative AI in HR development and how it can affect the future of the workplace.
“Strive to use this evolving technology to drive the entire organization forward through your HR processes while keeping people productive, satisfied, and engaged.”
– Mark A. Griffin
Efficient and Targeted Recruitment
Recruiting requires assessing applications, shortlisting prospects, and arranging interviews – all of which take time. Often lots of it.
But AI algorithms can quickly review applications, determine relevant skills and expertise, and present comprehensive lists of qualified individuals. So HR managers can use them to save valuable energy, time, and resources.
One such platform already implementing this is Eightfold’s Talent Intelligence Platform. The company states on its website:
“Our deep-learning AI Talent Intelligence Platform uses the world’s largest talent data set to provide unmatched clarity into internal and external talent so you can make confident decisions and drive real change across your organization.”
With technology rapidly increasing each year, more platforms like Talent Intelligence are bound to appear.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Generative AI can also assist HR managers in making decisions by evaluating tremendous amounts of employee data. From there, it can take that information and generate useful insights.
By exploring historical behaviors and trends, for instance, AI algorithms can identify elements that impact staff satisfaction, current skill gaps, and future workforce needs. This data-driven strategy enables HR departments to:
- Align their objectives with organizational mission, vision and values
- Helping leaders and employees set goals aligned to organizational KPI’s
- Make enlightened workforce planning decisions
- Come up with effective talent management plans.
It’s hard to overstate the value capability here. Just think how much more productive an organization would be with those areas properly assessed and sorted out!
Retention, Wellbeing, and Engagement Analysis
Finally, AI-powered insights can have a significant, positive impact on staff engagement, retention, and satisfaction.
Organizations dealing with staff exhaustion and motivation issues could utilize this tool to analyze data more efficiently and reach viable conclusions more quickly. To say nothing about how they can uncover hidden threads and patterns that traditional surveys might otherwise overlook.
Overworked and/or understaffed HR departments will somehow, someway fall short of properly addressing their companies’ goals. It’s inevitable. But AI can step in to lower their burdens, giving them the capability to act on information in much more productive ways.
There’s Plenty More Where Generative AI Came From
In summary, AI is transforming HR processes in sectors such as:
- Talent management
- Employee experience
- Training
- Career growth
- Performance management
- Retention
And who knows how many more areas it can positively affect from here!
By integrating AI technologies, HR managers can streamline operations, improve customization, and make data-driven decisions that benefit everyone – their larger organizations, individual employees, and customers alike. This “new” universe we’re experiencing might seem intimidating at first glance.
But it doesn’t have to be.
You just have to know how to put it to good use. Once you do, you might be surprised at how much more you and your organization can accomplish.
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Concerned about the HR programs at your organization? The benefits of having a trusted partner to guide you and your team are invaluable.
That’s what In HIS Name HR is here for – to guide you and your employees to the bigger and better places you envision.
When you contact us, make sure to ask about our high-performance remote human-resource programs to help find great people! Email us here today.
Mark A. Griffin is president and founder of In HIS Name HR LLC. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter.